Never say never and never be smug!
If I have learnt one thing as a parent, it is this!
Never say never!
Never be smug!
Before I became I, parent and did not know this to be true, I said, “I will never co-sleep” and then when I didn’t co-sleep with kid 1 I became so smug.
Me: I will never co-sleep.
Co-sleeping: We will see
Me after kid 1: He is sleeping so sweetly in his own cot/bed. See we didn’t co-sleep!
Co-sleeping: Okie dokie
Me after kid 2: When she does sleep, which is not often, she sleeps in her own cot/bed. So technically we aren’t co-sleeping. We might not be sleeping at all, but we are not co-sleeping.
Co-sleeping: I sense smugness!
Me after kid 3: Those few times he did co-sleep he was sick (we have the vomit stained sheets to prove it).
Co-sleeping: You shouldn’t have been smug!
Me after kid 4: So, I read this article that said if you don’t co-sleep you are a bad parent. So, I am just trying to be a good parent by co-sleeping. When we know better, we do better, right?
Co-sleeping: I win! Never say never and never be smug!
Emma is 6 and we are still co-sleeping!
I don’t know how we ended up here to be honest. It was a mix of exhaustion, defeat, and a deep, intense need to just GET SOME SLEEP.
As some of you know. Emma never slept. As a baby she just never ever slept, she didn’t nap, she didn’t sleep at night. She was just always awake. We tried it all and while co-sleeping didn’t actually work, it worked the best.
I know many people say that we should enjoy this time. But honestly, co-sleeping is not enjoyable for me. It is uncomfortable and I can’t sleep when I have a kiddo sleeping. So, while she sleeps, I do not and currently my exhaustion has past the point of being just exhaustion. I am not sure I will ever not feel tired.
I also know many people say it wont last forever, but do they KNOW that? Because right now I can’t help but feel she will be piggy in the middle until she moves out.
I am aware of the benefits of co-sleeping – apparently she will grow up to be the next president, find a cure for Cancer (or Corona), figure out world peace and solve poverty – all before she has her green smoothie for breakfast.
It is this thought that is keeping going, I figure by letting her reap all of the benefits of sleeping in my bed I am doing my bit for the world at large.
The funny thing is that there don’t seem to be many benefits of co-sleeping for the parents other than crippling exhausting and a stiff neck!
So, the takeaway from this post.
Keep the kid in the cot!
Never say never!
Don’t be smug!
Ask for an extra length extra-large king size bed at your baby shower.
